Electrical musical instrument having mechanically vibratable tone generators



Aug. 7, 1962 ELECTRICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING MECHANICALLY J. T. KUNZ 3,048,071

VIBRATABLE TONE GENERATORS Original Filed May 5, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 w A iqw vww mw Mp 2| g mm INVENTOR JACOB T. KUNZ BY Ml ATTORNEY g- 1962 J T KUNZ 3048,071

ELECTRICAL MUSICAL INS'I RUMENT HAVING MECHANICALL Y VIBRATABLE TONE GENERATORS Original Filed May 5, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 NOTES L IATTH PARTIAL 4 I l I I I 5; 1 5 PARTIAL.

g1 J 2" PARTIAL ]L A 1 P PARTIAL. HARP cELEsTA BELL( UADRA) -e- -e- F|F'TH(oFsEc. OCT) 3 e- SECOND ocTAvE FIFTH OF ocT.)

MAJOR HIRD OCTAVEL IH FIFTH MlNoRn-rmao h -e-- e ETRI KE OR- PRI ME. '0;

I] o o H U M /CARILLON ROD R00 ROD BELL w "B" "c" A B c: TON E To N E T o N E GENERATOR GENERATOR GENERATOR VOLTAGE TIO CON I I AMPLIFIER INVENTOR TACOB TL KUNZ BY m1 ATTORNEY Aug. 7, 1962 J. T. KUNZ 3, 7

ELECTRICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING MECHANICALLY VIBRATABLE TONE GENERATORS Original Filed May 5, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 OU RTH PARTIAL n rngm THIRD PARTIAL SECOND PARTIAL.

Fl RST PARTIA L.

GROOVlNG LOCATIONS (X1 LENGTH OF ROD FROM END INVENTOR 11F 3- J'ACOB T. KUNZ ATTORNEY J. T. KUNZ Aug. 7, 1962 3,048,071 ELECTRICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING MECHANICALLY VIBRATABLE TONE GENERATORS Original Filed May 5, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 k rhall United States Patent C M ELECTRICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING MECHANICALLY VIBRATABL TONE GEN- ERATORS Jacob T. Kunz, Collegeville, Pa., assignor to Schulmerich Electronics, Inc., Sellersville, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Continuation of application Ser. No. 733,101, May 5,

\1958- This application Apr. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 25,104

3 Claims. (Cl. 84-111) This invention relates to musical instruments and par ticularly electronic bell music instruments and their tone generators. This application is a continuation of copending application Serial No. 733,101, filed May 5, 1958 (now abandoned).

Various types of tone generators particularly adapted for use in electronic bell instruments have been employed in the past. In such instruments, the bars or rods used for generating vibrations have had mechanical-electrical pickups or transducers associated therewith for translating the vibrations of the bells or rods, the electrical vibrations so picked upbeing amplified and modified as needed and then reproduced by a loud speaker. One of the prior types of bell tone generators has used fixed-free or freefree rods and has employed the partial arrangements available therefrom with minor modifications, the generator producing a synthesized strike with a sixth below the strike, a minor 'third above the strike, an octave above the strike, a fifth above the octave, and a second octave. A second type of bell instrument has employed the partials or vibrations produced by two rods or by the two faces of a rectangular rod. The partials generated in' such an arrangement have been the hum tone, the strike tone (an octave above the hum tone which also is known as the prime tone), a minor third above the strike, a first octave above the strike, a major third, at fifth, and a second octave. Usually the second octave was sharp of a true octave. The aforementioned second type produced a v campanitorm bell resultant note.

The unwanted partials in such arrangements were either ignored or filtered electrically or mechanically, electrical filtering being costly. Mechanical filtering has been accomplished by selected positioning of the pickup and striker, such not being for the purpose of obtaining desired amplitude relation. These filtering arrangements have not always been completely satisfactory because of the close proximity of desired andundesired partials. Further, there is a limit in mechanical filtering because of the close positions of nodes and anti-nodesof undesired partials and because of mechanical instability problems. As a result, compromises have had to be accepted in many prior arrangements. Also, the first two partials of the rod in prior devices have been unwanted and have been unused. This is a disadvantage because the vibration amplitudes vary inversely with the frequency and this makes the lower partials diflicult to remove. Furthermore, partials separated by less than an octave have had to be removed and it has not always been economically feasible to remove them completely. One of the problems also has been to have the partials in a preselected arrangement such as having the first four in octave relation.

7 One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an electronic bell instrument which can be modified over a wide range in accordance'with the desires of the player and the type of music played. 7

- Another of the objects of the invention is to provide an instrument which can be used to provide various types of musical efiects.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an instrument from which a plurality of bell-like or percussion resultant notes can be produced.

Another object of the invention is to provide a char- 3,048,071 Patented Aug. 7, 1962 acteristic tone generator arrangement which will eliminate or reduce filtering out of unwanted partials.

A still further object is to provide means to control attack and decay of various partials used in percussion tone generators.

Another object is to provide for generation of bell resultant notes having a minor third accompanied by partials having. a harmonic pattern or relationship.

The term partial will be used herein to mean one particular vibration of a generator. The term characteristic generator tone will be used to mean the sound sensation from the instrument which would be heard as the result of striking one tone generator or rod in a particular manner. The term resultant note will be used to identify the sound sensation from one or more generators.

The resultant bell note for a Flemish type bell includes a hum tone, strike or prime tone, a minor third,, 21

fifth, the first octave above .the strike, a major third, the fifth, and the second octave. A harp resultant note or resultant harp note and a celesta resultant note or resultant celesta note consist of four partials in harmonic relation. The harp resultant note has the first two (lowest) partials strong with the two higher partials considerably weaker. The reverse is true in a celesta resultant note. The harp note has a relatively smooth attack with the celesta note a more brisk or percussive attack. The term tone generator will be used to mean the rod, bar or element for producing a group of partials. In the case of a rectangular bar wherein diflerent vibrations can be produced by the wide and narrow sides, each side may be considered to be a tone generator.

In one aspect of the invention, an electronic music instrument can be provided having a plurality of tone generators adapted to be used individually or in various combinations for each resultant note of the scale, together with means for striking said generators individually or in combination to produce many varieties of percussion resultant notes. The tone generators can be arranged and constructed to produce complex resultant notes with and without harmonically related partials and also to produce resultant notes having only harmonically related partials, for example, a harp or celesta resultant note. The striking means can be located relative to each'of the tone generators and can be selectively operated as the instrument is played so as to provide the characteristic generator tones or combination thereof to produce each of the desired resultant notes.

In one aspect, free-free rods can be employed, at least three tone generators being available for each possible resultant note of the scale. Only two tone generators can be used and fixed-free rods can be employed in some aspects of the invention. It a rectangular bar is employed, vibrations can be collected from the wide and from the narrow faces.

In one form, one free-free bar may be arranged so that the first three or four partials are in octave relationship which can be accomplished by grooving at a location of .195 to .205 times the length from each end or in other locations to provide the desired relation as described in copending application Serial No. 733,040,'filed May 5,

if used, can have its partials and striker positioned so as to produce an later.

The strikers may be positioned in various selected places along the rods and can be arranged to be operated selecimpact or burst tone as will be explained tively in various combinations as a key or switch is depressed or actuated. At least one of the rods or tone generators can have a plurality of spaced strikers for producing various characteristic generator tones. The intensity of the minor third partial can be controlled by electrically adjusting the ratio of voltages picked up by the rods. The amplitude relation between the strike partial and the hum partial can be controlled by striker position.

Different types of transducers or electrical-mechanical pickups can be used but in a preferred form, a magnetic type is employed, having a permanent magnet or armature movable relative to a coil upon vibration of the related tone generator.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings which are merely exemplary.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view of the one unit or assembly of the tone generators.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary prospective view of the form of tone generator illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a tone plan of a free-free rod showing relative position of nodes of the first four partials.

FIG. 4 is a clef showing the partials involved.

'FIG. 5 is a graph showing the relation of the first four partials to groove position for a free-free rod.

FIG. 6 is a schematic showing of one combination of elements or assemblies.

FIG. 7 is a schematic circuit diagram of one switching circuit arrangement.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the switches of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of one form of transducer.

The mechanical vibrations of the various rods are picked up by transducer means, amplified, and then fed to aloud speaker means. The amplifier means can filter and combine the various vibrations so that the loud speaker will reproduce the desired resultant note heard by the listener.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, a carillon bell of the Flemish type has a hum partial, a pantial an octave above the hum partial, known as the strike or prime, a minor third,

a first octave above the strike,a major third, a fifth, a

second octave, a fifth, and a second octave above. In

by the use of three tone generators, the octaves or harmonically related partials being obtained primarily from generator or rod A. The inharrnonically related partials can be obtained from tone color generator or rod B. Tone generator or rod C can be provided so as to obtain a desired impact or burst efiect of a bell note when all three tone generators are struck simultaneously to produce a Flemish bell resultant note. If a harp note is desired, which has only harmonically related partials, rod A is struck in such a manner that the first partial is the strongest, such being accomplished by employing a striker that will hit the generator in relation to an anti-node of the first partial so that the first partial will be strongest an example being seen in FIG. 3

If a celesta resultant note having only harmonically related partials is desired, rod Acan be struck at a position which will cause the third and. fourth partials to be the strongest partials, the striker for this purpose being located relative to an anti-node of these partials so that they will be the strongest, an example being seen in FIG. 3. When the firstogroup of partials is used as in the preferred form of the present invention, the aforementioned striker positions will provide the correct relationship of amplitudes. Rod C can be arranged to produce an impact type of resultant note when used by itself and to furnish the desired impact or burst efiect when struck simultaneously with the respective A and B rods or tone generators.

.As mentioned,it has been found that if the octave or harmonically related free-free tone generator rods are 0.195 to 0.205 from each end, so that the partials will be in the desired octave relationship. Other types of generators can be treated in various manners to provideharmonic or desired partial relationship. FIG. 5 shows the relationship existing between the first four partials and the groove location of rectangular rods.

It is to be noted that when grooved at 0.195 to 0.205 times the length from each end, the first three or four partials will be substantially in harmonic relation. Any siight deviation can be corrected by weights or otherwise treating the rod. it should be evident that other relations of partials also could be obtained by grooving in accordance with said copending application.

in one form, rectangular bars or rods are employed.

rods are used for the harmonically related partials and for the color characteristic generator tones.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, for a carillon bell, rod B is tuned so that the first partial used is a predetermined interval above the first partial of rod A, said partial being a minor third above the strike partial of the A rod.

The assemblies of .tone generators can be arranged in various manners. As an example, the A, B and C rods or generators can be located in separate assemblies as indicated schematically in FIG. 6.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, horizontal base 10 can have free-free bars or rods 11 mounted thereon, the rods shown. being rectangular. grooves 12, 13 located at a distance of 0.195 to 0.205 times the length from either end. The B bell rod assembly can be grooved at a position to produce the desired inharmonic relationship at a point or points taught by FIG. 5. As previously mentioned, it is possible to employ one rectangular rod for the A and B tone generators if the dimensions thereof are properly related, for example 2:1. Also, it is possible not to use weights or to otherwise treat the B rod.

Suspensions for the rods may be arranged adjacent either end so as to exert a force primarily in a horizontal direction or in a direction longitudinally extending relative to the rod. Fexible string or thread 14 can be attached to one end of spring 15, the other end of spring 15 being carried by post 16. The thread is supported freely in guide posts 17, 18 and is attached to the rod by passing through an aperture 19 therein.

The other end of the rod or generator can be carried by flexible thread 20 fastened to posts 21. Damping pins 23 can be mounted so as to frictionally contact threads 20 and thereby damp movement of the generator. When a rod is struck, motions are imparted thereto which are a function of the force with which the rod is struck, such motions not being partials of the rod. It can be theorized that said motions and tones produced thereby are caused by the rod being over-excited and are of short duration. Pins 23 provide the desired low frequency movement damping.

Various types of mechanical-electrical transducers or pickups can be used. The preferred form comprises a magnetized armature 27 (FIGS. 2, 9) carried by the generator, such as a permanent magnet of Alnico or the like, said armature being movable relative to nonmagnetic pickup coil 28. Thus, when a rod is set into vibration, movement of the armature relative to the coil will result in the flux of the magnet cutting the turns of the coil so as to set up a signal in the coil. The rod vibrates in a direction substantiallynormal to the axis of the magnet. The conversion efiiciency of the pickup will be high. Further, if the magnet length is greater than the coil length, amplitude of the coil induced voltage will be insensitive to magnet position Within the coil.

The arrangement also can have armatures on both sides of the rod with corresponding coils. A reluctance type low frequency partials which is undesirable. The signals from the pickup coils or transducers of the various rods The 'A bell rod can have.

resultant notes. As mentioned, the ratio of voltages picked up by the various rods can be electrically adjusted so as to control the intensity of the minor thirds. Oapacitance types also could be used.

As an example of one organization of an instrument and describing an arrangement for producing one resultant note of the scale, the A rod for producing four harmonically related partials as depicted in FIG. 4 for a resultant carillon bell note can have the striker for this purpose positioned approximately as shown schematically at 50 in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 illustrates the approximate position of the nodes for the first four partials of a free-free rod.

If a carillon bell or campaniform bell note is to be produced, the striker for the B rod also is struck simultaneously with the A rod, the B rod furnishing the inharmonically related or color partials as seen in FIG. 4. The striker for the C rod also should be activated at the same time, the C rod furnishing a major third of the octave partial relative to'the second partial of the A rod and a fifth of the strike partial relative to the second partial of the A rod. Preferably, the Crod should be arranged so that the vibrations thereof are rapidly damped. Such a resultant bell note will have harmonically and inharmonically related partials.

If a harp resultant note is desired, the harp striker of the A rod can be located near the end of the rod, such as at 5-1 (FIG. 3), which will provide the proper relation of amplitudes of the first four partials so that the first and second partials will be the strongest. If a celesta resultant note is desired, then the celesta striker can be located along the A rod, for example, as indicated at 52 (FIG. 3). In this case, it is closer to the anti-nodes of the third and fourth partials so that the amplitude of these partials will be the strongest as is needed for this type of resultant note.

In addition to these combinations, it is possible to strike only the C rod to produce a resultant note having a staccato timbre. Also, it would be possible to strike only the B rod to produce a percussive note having a strong minor tierce. It the celesta striker of the A rod 6 amplifier 58 may be connected to any type of suitable loud speaker means 59.

One example of a stop or control circuit or mechanism is illustrated schematically in FIG. 7. The operation for producing one note of the scale will be described, the other notes being produceable in a similar manner as the respective keys therefor are actuated. It is to be understood that the sound sensation produced is heard from the loud speaker system. schematically shown rocker arm 30 is movable to the left when its respective keyboard or manual key is depressed, this type of key action being well known in the art so that the description of the details is unnecessary. Each of the keys for the notes of the scale have corresponding rocker arms. Stop tablets, knobs or buttons 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 may be positioned adjacent the keyboard or manual means so as to be operable readily by the person playing the instrument. If it is desired to have resultant notes from A tone generators only, stop 32 is actuated. Such will complete a circuit from line 38, line 39, and slide solenoid 40 to line 41, lines 38 and 41 being connected to a source of energy for operation of the various slide solenoids.

. When solenoid 40 is energized, a slide schematically indicated at 62 (FIG. 7) and fragmentarily shown at 62A (FIG. 8), will be moved to the right so as to place the various contacts 44C 44C 44D etc., therealong closer to their respective rocker than the contacts 45C 46C 470 and 48C together with their associated contacts for the'other notes on the other slides. In the form shown, the contacts, such as contact 44C may comprise an upstanding spring metal leaf which will move readily to the left (FIG. 8) as rocker 30C moves to the left when actuated by [the C key (not shown). FIG. 8 illustrates slide 62A moved to the right and rocker 300 actuated to the left by-its key. The rocker means are made of conducting material or with a conductive face is energized along with the strikers for the B and C rods,

a resultant carillon bell 'note with an attenuated hum tone will be produced. If the harp striker of the A rod be energized together with the strikers of the B and C rods, a resultant carillon bell note with an accentuated hum tone will be produced. It also is possible to energize the quadra or hell striker of the A rod and the striker of the B rod to produce a resultant carillon bell note having a reduced impact or burst effect. Thus, it can be seen that it is possible to provide resultant notes having only harmonically related partials, resultant notes having no harmonically related partials, and many combinations thereof. Furthermore, by the stop or switching means, which will be described hereafter, it is possible to employ simultaneously the various characteristic generator tones as desired for a note of the scale or to use them individually or in various combinations.

As shown schematically in FIG. 6, a keyboard having keys for each of the resultant notes of the scale may be provided, for example, twenty-five notes, sixty-one notes, etc. It also is possible to provide two or more keyboards in parallel. referred to as one having a plurality of manuals.

The keyboard means is schematically illustratedat 53 in FIG. 6, electrical connections being made to the various assemblies through stop or control mechanism ,54 for selecting the strikers, tone generators and combinations" thereof. FIG. 6 schematically illustrates the keyboard and stop means as being connected to the A rod assembly 55, B rod assembly 56 and C rod assembly 57. The mechanical-electrical pickups from the rods or tone generators of the various assemblies can be connected to amplifier 58, adjustable filter circuits and adjustable voltage circuits means 58A being associated therewith. The

An instrument so arranged is for establishing a circuit between the contact leaves.

Line 49 is the common line or feed to a source of energy for operating the striker solenoids, common bus 60' having upstanding contacts or leaves as seen at 61C 61C etc. As a rocker means continues moving to the left as a key is actuated, it first makes contact with the leaf on the slide that has been moved and then makes contact with the common leaf. As an example, upon actuation of the C key, rocker 30C will first contact leaf 4-4C and en leaf 61(3 to complete a circuit through rocker 30C to hell striker solenoid 80 through lines 49 and 81. The

slide 62 may have a spring 62. for returning it to the left upon de-energization of solenoid 40.

- Further, merely by way of example, each of the contacts-on slide 63 can have its contacts connected to the respective solenoids of strikers for the B tone generators, slide 64 for the C tone generators, slide 65 for the harp bell strikers of rod A and slide 66 for the celesta bell strikers of the A rod or tone generator. Thus, when a stop or combination thereof activates the respective slide solenoids, when the key for the rocker is actuated, contact will be completed to the respective strikers upon actuation of a key.

When it is desired to strike all three rods to produce a carillon bell resultant note, stop 37 may be depressed to close the circuit between line 38, line 67, solenoid or relay 68 and a source of energy through line 69. This will serve to operate relay 70 which will bypass the stop buttons 32, 33 and 34 so as to actuate slides 62, 63 and 64. Thus, when stop 37 is used, upon actuation of a key to produce resultant carillon bell notes, the respective bell striker for rod A and the strikers for rods B and C will be operated simultaneously so as to produce the v partials seen in FIG. 4-. Various stop and relay combinaif relationsihp. By following the aforegoing description, a multi-tone percussion instrument providing musical eifects hitherto unattained can be produced. It is obvious that various details of construction can be varied Without departing from the spirit of the invention except as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an electrical music instrument for producing a plurality of resultant notes of a scale, the combination including first and second mechanically vibrata-ble tone generators for each note of the scale, the first tone generator being so constructed that at least the first three partials are in octave relationship, striker means for striking said first tone generator at a location relative to the nodes of the first four partials thereof so that the first and second partials will be emphasized to thereby produce a harp-like tone, second striker means for striking said first tone generator at a location relative to the nodes of the first four partials so that the third and-fourth partials will be emphasized to thereby produce a celesta-like tone, third striker means for striking said first tone generator at a location relative to the nodes of the first four partials to produce a tone difiierent from'that produced by said first tone generator when struck by said first two striker means, fourth striker means for striking said second tone generator, said second tone generator providing partials a predetermined interval above the tones produced by said first tone generator, means for energizing each of said striker means, and means for simultaneously operating said third and fourth striker means, so that when operated simultaneously, a resultant bell tone will be produced.

2. in an electrical music instrument for producing a plurality of resultant notes of a scale, the combination including first and second mechanically vibratable tone generators for each note of the scale, the first tone generator being formed by a free-free elongated bar having transverse grooves therein spaced from each end thereof between about .195 to .205 of the length of the bar so that the first four partials are in octave relationship, striker means'for striking said first tone generator at a location relative to the nodes of the first four partials thereof so that the first and second partials Will be emphasized to thereby produce a harp-like tone, second striker means for striking said first tone generator at a location relative to the nodes of the first four partials so that the third and fourth partials will be emphasized to thereby produce a celesta-like tone, third striker means for striking said first tone generator at a location relative to the nodes of the first four partials to produce a tone difierent from that produced by said first tone generator when struck by said first two striker means, fourth striker means for striking said second tone generator, said second tone generator providing partials a predetermined interval above the tones produced by said first tone generator, means for energizingeach of said striker means, and means for simultaneously operating said third and fourth striker means, so that when operate/.1 simultaneously, a resultant bell tone Will be produced.

3. In an electrical music instrument for producing a' plurality of resultant notes of a scale, the combination including a plurality of keys for playing said resultant notes of the scale, first and second mechanically vibratable tone generators for each note of the scale, the first tone generator being formed by a tree-free elongated bar having transverse grooves therein spaced from each end thereof between about .195 to .205 of the length of the bar so that the first four partials are in octave relationship, transducer means for picking up electrically the vibrations of each tone generator, striker means for striking said first tone generator at a location relative to the nodes of thefirst four partials thereof so that the first and second partials will be emphasized to thereby produce a harp-like tone, second striker means for striking said first tone generator at a location relative to the nodes of the first four partials so that the third and fourth partials will be emphasized to thereby produce i a celesta-like tone, third striker means 'for striking said first tone generator at a location relative to the nodes of the first fourpartials to produce a tone different from that produced by said first tone generator when struck by said first two striker means, fourth striker means for striking said second tone generator, said second tone generator providing partials a predetermined interval above the tones produced by said first tone generator, means for energizing each of said striker means, and means for simultaneously operating said third and fourth striker means, so that when operated simultaneously, a resultant bell tone will be produced.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 788,484 Lyon Apr. 25, 1905 2,103,169 Midgley Dec. 21, 1937 2,207,489 Midgley a- July 9, 1940 2,245,337 Hammond June 10, 1941 2,273,333 Schluter Feb. 17, 1942 2,301,871 Hanert Nov. 10, 1942 2,413,062 Miessner Dec. 24, 1946 2,492,919 Hings Dec. 27, 1949 2,579,358 Bourn Dec. 18, 1951 2,588,295 Rowe Mar. 4, 1952 2,606,474 Kunz Aug. 12, 1952 2,655,069 Marshall Oct. 13, 1953 2,703,504 Rowe Q. Mar, .8, 1955 2,754,434 Frank July 10, 1956 2,799,196 Alvarez July 16, 1957 

